Python package installing rationale

[Robert Kern]

Kay Schluehr wrote:
> In almost any case I install a Python package via distutils some
> directories in the package tree are left behind e.g. the docs,
> licenses, tests etc. I wonder if there is some rationale behind this?
> Should it be left to the "creative freedom" of the user to copy the
> docs whereever she wants or is there a dedicated place for them and if
> any why isn't it simple to declare it in the setup script?

There is no such dedicated place. Or rather, there are quite a lot of
them depending on the system and the user. Debian packages have one
place for them. Fedora Core another. Windows has none at all. And so on.

distutils doesn't try to guess although sometimes authors do.

-- 
Robert Kern
robert.kern at gmail.com

"In the fields of hell where the grass grows high
 Are the graves of dreams allowed to die."
  -- Richard Harter